What constitutes a "hit" in your mind?

[MGibster]

With the media environment breaking into thousands of tiny subcultures, there are hugely popular genres that are essentially invisible to people sitting right next to fans.

It's certainly much easier for us to be stuck in our own little media bubbles these days. I'll certainly concede that I might not have any clue about something that's widely popular. Back in the late 1990s, my soon-to-be bride was shocked when I told her I had no idea who Conway Twitty was. I can't name a single Sabrina Carpenter song and didn't know what she looked like until a few days ago.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I can't name a single Sabrina Carpenter song and didn't know what she looked like until a few days ago.

She's basically a very horny gnome, like Critical Role's Scanlan with a record contract.

 

[jian]

She's basically a very horny gnome, like Critical Role's Scanlan with a record contract.

Though she does seem rather good about generation Z relationships, if this is anything to go by:

What Sabrina Carpenter gets right about gen Z’s gender divide | Caroline Hayes, Carolina Hidalgo-McCabe and Alice Lassman

The singer’s album Man’s Best Friend bottles young women’s increasing sense of healthy relationships being out of reach

www.theguardian.com

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Though she does seem rather good about generation Z relationships, if this is anything to go by:

Oh, despite all the handwringing about her public persona, I think she's probably an actually pretty healthy and smart person.

 

[payn]

Though she does seem rather good about generation Z relationships, if this is anything to go by:

What Sabrina Carpenter gets right about gen Z’s gender divide | Caroline Hayes, Carolina Hidalgo-McCabe and Alice Lassman

The singer’s album Man’s Best Friend bottles young women’s increasing sense of healthy relationships being out of reach

www.theguardian.com

I have a niece who is 22. I was visting her mother one night and her and pack of her similar aged friends rolled into the house. We had a chat about stuff in general. Their outlook on gen z men was not good.

 

[Leatherhead]

With the media environment breaking into thousands of tiny subcultures, there are hugely popular genres that are essentially invisible to people sitting right next to fans.

If you don't listen to Kawaii Metal, Vaporwave or Pirate Metal, those genres might sound like a bit on 30 Rock.

Since we're not all listening to the same handful of stations -- specialization has been underway since the 1960s and went into turbodrive in the digital era -- "well known" is a pretty high bar.

And if you spend any time on social media, you'll see people claiming to not know the names of huge pop stars like Sabrina Carpenter, who are still played by the radio 24/7.

I'm going to be real here.

I don't see this as a bad thing. More things should be niche.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Their outlook on gen z men was not good.

Young men, of all generations, and all eras, suck. Gen Z women are just smart enough to talk about it in public, rather than suffering alone.

 

[trappedslider]

 

[MoonSong]

With the media environment breaking into thousands of tiny subcultures, there are hugely popular genres that are essentially invisible to people sitting right next to fans.

If you don't listen to Kawaii Metal, Vaporwave or Pirate Metal, those genres might sound like a bit on 30 Rock.

Since we're not all listening to the same handful of stations -- specialization has been underway since the 1960s and went into turbodrive in the digital era -- "well known" is a pretty high bar.

And if you spend any time on social media, you'll see people claiming to not know the names of huge pop stars like Sabrina Carpenter, who are still played by the radio 24/7.

I consider two levels of hit. Hit within its niche, and overall hit. The important part about the first is selling well and having good critical reception within the niche. (Because in a small niche, the critics come mostly from the audience)

For a wider hit, sales themselves are important, but less than overall engagement. Bilboarding (people at large having it on posters, tshirts, stickers, grafitti, memes, avatars), toys and merch, fanfic, fanart, etsy, references... And while good critical reception can bling an existing hit, it is irrelevant otherwise.